The US State Department has revoked more than 6,000 visas belonging to international students, citing criminal offences, immigration violations,, and alleged links to terrorism.
According to the department, the majority of cancellations were tied to offences such as assault, driving under the influence (DUI), and burglary. Between 200 and 300 visas were revoked under INA 3B, a section of US immigration law that broadly defines “terrorist activity” as acts that endanger human life or violate federal statutes.
The move reflects the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on immigration and foreign students. Officials acknowledged that some of the terrorism-related cancellations were linked to students who had protested in support of Palestine, accusing them of engaging in antisemitic behaviour.
Roughly 4,000 of the revoked visas were linked to criminal conduct, the department said.
The visa cancellations come after months of policy changes. Earlier this year, the administration suspended visa appointments for international students. When appointments resumed in June, applicants were required to disclose their social media accounts for enhanced vetting. Officers were also instructed to look for signs of “hostility toward the United States” and to block individuals accused of supporting foreign terrorist groups or engaging in antisemitic harassment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in May that thousands of student visas had already been rescinded and suggested that more cancellations were likely.
“We probably have more to do,” Rubio said during a congressional hearing. “We will continue to revoke visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education institutions.”
Democrats, however, criticised the policy as heavy-handed, warning that it undermines due process and unfairly targets students.
The US remains a leading destination for foreign students, with more than 1.1 million enrolled in American colleges and universities in the 2023–24 academic year, according to Open Doors, a group that tracks international student data.
